Ochotonidae

Part of speech: noun

Definitions

1. A family of small, typically furry mammals known as pikas, which inhabit mountainous areas and are closely related to rabbits and hares
2. This family comprises small, herbivorous mammals that are characterized by their rounded bodies and short limbs, commonly found in cold mountainous regions
3. A grouping of small mammals recognized for their distinctive vocalizations and ability to survive in harsh climates, including various species of pikas

Etymology: Ochotonidae is a scientific name, and its root is the Russian word for pika. The genus was named "Ochotona" in 1827 by the German naturalist Johann Fischer von Waldheim, who took the name from "ochotnitschaja," the Russian term used in Siberia for these animals. That Russian word is itself a borrowing from a Tungusic language of eastern Siberia, though the exact source form is debated among specialists. The suffix "-idae" is the standard zoological ending for animal families, so the name reads as "the family of the ochotona." Pikas are not rodents, despite their rabbit-like look. Their family sits in the order Lagomorpha, alongside rabbits and hares, which is why the family name carries a Siberian animal name rather than a classical one. Naturalists in the early 1800s often took local vernacular names from explorers' travel accounts when they described new animals.

Synonyms: pikas